Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-02-14
THE LICENSETAX BILL
PASSED TO ITS SECOND READING IN THE
SENATE SATURDAY.
The Changes Made m the Old law Very
Important TO Our Wheeling
Readers.

S(AAAAS W.
second reading s. B. No. 81, fixing the
State license tax on certain businesses and
ayocations. The bill was introduced by
Senator Dawson, January Goth, and was
reported by the Committee on Finance
with the recommendation that it pass.
The object of the bill is to amend and con-
solidate into one act chapters 81 and 80 of
the Code, and to repeal chapters 1O7 and
los of the Acts OF 1877. There are two or
three bills of a like nature pending in the
House of Delegates, but nothing will be
done to advance them if the pending
Senate bill passes the body in which 1t
originated, something which will undoubt-
edly come about.
Senator Dawson's measure releases deal
ers in tobacco, snuff and cigars from the
payment of the license IA assessed during
the past two years, and which has been a
source of irritation and annoyance 10 the
dealers in such articles all over the State.
The main object of Assessor Bob Phillips
visit TO the Capital and his stay there for
nearly two weeks, IA to secure the repeal
of this law, and he came home Saturday
night with the conviction that he had ac-
complished the purpose he aimed at. This
will relieve the cigar and tobacco dealers
of Ohio county OF the payment OF about
$1,000. .
Some of our citizens, however, do not
get of so easy. Take the brewers, for III
stance. Breweries of the first class, which
make %, 900 or more barrels Of beer or ale
per annum, have the tax raised from $50
to $500; breweries of the second class,
making less than % 900 and more than
ID, 900 barrels. are raised from 800 to 500;
third class, making less than $1,000 bar
rels and more than 5000, from $40 to
500; fourth class, making less than 5000
and more than 1000 barrels, from $50 to
$50, and breweries making less than 1000
barrels are raised TO So. The first class
affects the Reymann and Schmulbach
Brewing Companies, and the fourth class
Mr.. Balzer, of the South Side.
The new law also makes a very decided
increase in the license to sell spurious llq-
uors, raising the tax from $3.50 to 5000.
This is the second increase on the saloon
men, the tax being raised from 500 to
$50 two years ago. This will swell the
State retail liquor license in Ohio county
20 "A total of about So, 900, IN increase OF
$3.50 over last year. A big jump is also
made on the wholesale dealers, their
tax being raised from $500 to $500. The
license for the sale of wine and beer is I'M
changed at $50. There is only one license
of this kind in Ohio county, that being the
one taken out by the State Fair AsSOcia-
ton.
The license tax on druggists and bowl
ing alleys is unchanged. The tax on bill
lard rooms is reduced as follows: Under
the old law the tax vas 800 for the first
billiard table, and SO each tor the first
two tables. one being billiards and the
other pool, with So for every additional
table OF either sort. The pending meas
ures makes the tax SO for the first billiard
table. $50 for the first pool table, and $55
each for two, one OF each sort, with So for
each additional table of either sort. Thus
a man running two tables, one billiards
aud the other pool, will pay $40 under
the new law rs against $3.50 under the old.
The tax on skating Kinks remains I'M
changed.
The a~uctioncers' license will be re-
duced. At present ~auctiOnceTS pay $40,
and 81 additional for each 1000 popula-
ton of the city in which they do business.
The pending bill cuts the tax to 50, and it
is very likely the tax per 900 Of pOpula-
ton will be cut down from 81 to 81. The
old tax on a Wheeling auctioneer was
S67. Under the new law it will probably
be only half as much.
The tax on brokers, private bankers and
p~awnbrOkers is unchanged in the pending
bill.
The license to sell patent rights remains
at $25, but these is an amendment provid-
ing that an inventor who is q resident Of
this State can sell his own invention with
out a license.
The tax on hawkers and pcddleIs, shoot
ing galleries, theatres and opera houses re-
mains unchanged, but the a on museums
or shows where the admission is 10 cents is
cut down to half what it is at present, or
from 50 per day and $50 per week to - per
day and $40 per week.
The license on corporations Is I'M
changed.
The Finance Committee changed Sena-
tor Dawson's bill in some important par
t~iculars while il was before them, making
it more closely follow the old law. Of
course, il the pending bill to prohibit the
manufacture and sale of Intoxicating liq-
uOrS becomes q law, so much of ). Il. No.
81 as imposes q license tax on manufacture
ers and sellers of intoxicants will be mop